KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato Province (PIA) – The elderly have thanked the government for building and recently inaugurating the Senior Citizens Community Care Center (SC3C) in Kidapawan City.
Adelina Jallorina, one of the senior citizens present at the event, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the newly launched facility.
“We, senior citizens, are happy because this health and wellness center has been a great help to us. We now have a physician assigned every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This service is invaluable for those of us who need regular medical check-ups,” Jallorina shared.
The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC), in partnership with the city government of Kidapawan and various national government agencies, inaugurated the SC3C on Feb. 4 in the city.
The newly launched center is the first of its kind in Region 12 and is designed for senior citizens to easily access essential services that cater to their needs.
During the opening ceremony, Dr. Mary Jean P. Loreche, OIC-Chairperson and Commissioner of the NCSC, commended the local government of Kidapawan and the various agencies involved for their commitment to improving the lives of the elderly.
“I heard that here in Kidapawan, you have 14,000 senior citizen members. And if our city is not ready for the aging population, we will have a very big problem in our heads. The government has seen the need to have a commission totally focused on the needs, the welfare, the benefits, policies for senior citizens, thus the creation of the National Commission of Senior Citizens,” Loreche stated.
She also emphasized the impact the center will have on senior citizens, highlighting the health services available at the center.
“The purpose of the SC3C basically in capsulated form is to improve [the] quality of life of the senior citizen. It is necessary that as we grow older, we become productive together in nation-building, we should be happy and we are not bored at home. We are still part of the development of our country,” she added.
Meanwhile, Edwin G. Espejo, NCSC Cluster 7 Commissioner, shared how the agency works with LGUs in creating programs for senior citizens like the SC3C.
“The SC3C, while it is a program of the National Commission of Senior Citizens, it should be [an] LGU driven program because this is for the constituents of our local government units,” Espejo said.
In addition to the SC3C’s grand opening, the event also featured a one-day service caravan featuring various services like free medical check-ups, planting materials, and medicines, among others. (CRM – PIA Region 12)
